Star Stealer: Part One
by Songbird15
Summary: With the Time Devourer defeated, our heroes are returned to their respective worlds as if nothing ever happened, but love is the strongest power of all, and so everyone's favorite Radical Dreamer sets out to hunt down the blue-haired angel of her dreams.
1. The Radical Dream

Chrono Cross: Star Stealer  
  
Disclaimer: You fanfic-aholics know how it goes. All characters and places from Chrono Cross belong to Squaresoft. The plot and the original characters are mine, however.  
  
Chapter One: The Radical Dream  
  
"Oi Mate, sorry I haven't been talkin' to ya lately, but I'm sure ya understand. I've been real busy lately. I raided Viper Manor, but there was no sign of that Frozen Flame or Lynx. I guess ya know all that already, though, if ya are some sorta gaurdian angel like Jade says. I do hope ya didn't mind me tellin' her about ya, by the way," the girl sighed. "I don't mean to be a bother, but I do wish you'd say somethin'. I've got no idea who ya are or why I can't stop thinkin' about ya, but I know I've gotta find ya somehow. Well, anyway..."  
"Oi, Star-Stealin' Girl! Who are ya talkin' to?"  
Kid pulled her gaze away from the sea and the sunrise to look instead at the scruffy young woman who had interupted her. "Just the blue-haired boy again, Jade."  
"Oh, yer angel's still around? Take good care o' my Kid, ya hear me?" The second comment seemed to be adressed to the ocean before them, but Kid knew that her friend was talking to the mysterious boy of her dreams. The small but notorious gang of theives known as the Radical Dreamers liked to believe that all dreams, especialy the most unusual ones, had meaning, hence their name. Even so, Kid had only mentioned her dreams and visions to her closest friend. Jade had been the one to find the terrified young girl who claimed to be the only survivor of the orphanage which had been destroyed by a demi-human named Lynx. Jade agreed to train the child until she was strong enough to seek out her revenge. Almost immediately, young Kid had taken Jade as her new role-model, even going so far as to copy the older girl's accent. She had attempted to immitate Jade's braided hair as well, but at first she did not know how to braid, and instead came up with her scorpion-tail design. Even after she found out how to braid her own hair, she chose her style over it.  
Kid briefly allowed her mind to wander down memory lane, recalling a night spent with Jade after a particularly difficult training session several years ago. Little Kid had been too tired to walk back to the hideout, so she and Jade had set up camp in the woods. She had asked her mentor if she was a good thief yet.  
"I bet ya could steal the stars themselves, Kid," Jade had replied, and from then on, Jade's special nickname for Kid had been Star-Stealing Girl.  
  
"So Kid, ya still plannin' to go off on yer own again?" Jade asked after a short pause.  
The younger girl shrugged in a carefree manner, hiding the anxiety inside. "Yeah." Although she had known the dream boy since the night Lucca's orphanage had burned, she had not dreamed or even thought about him until one week ago when she had been sailing alone near Cape Howl. She had actually collapsed in her boat, and only awakened at sundown to find the last memories of what seemed to be a strange dream flying swiftly away. Not wanting to worry her friends, she had not mentioned her collapse when she returned to the Dreamers' hideout.  
Now the dream boy haunted her every night, and even in the day. He never spoke, and all she knew was that she had to find him.  
"Well, good luck, then. Don't do anything I wouldn't." Jade instructed with a wink, then watched quietly as her student and friend prepared her small sail boat for another journey. Kid only looked back once as she began to sail away, waving a cheerful farewell to Jade and the other Radical Dreamers who were working on varius things nearby.  
"So, as I was sayin'..." The thief continued once she was out of Jade's hearing range, "Here I come, Mate." A smile of anticipation for the coming journey crossed the girl's face as she stood boldly, hands on her hips, and one foot placed on the sturdy steering wheel. She took in a deep breath, her bright blue eyes staring ahead with excitement. Something told her that she was in for a real adventure.  
She was not sure where the best place to search would be, but something told her that her goal was in El Nido. She decided Termina was the best place to start. It was the largest city, and therefore an obvious choice for someone who needed information. The only problem was that the Radical Dreamers' current hideout was on the mainland, and the only way into El Nido was through a narrow pass made deadly by the raging current. The wind was kind, and in just a couple hours the pass was before her. Kid delicately alligned her boat as best as she could, hoping that she would be able to shoot through the straight pass without much trouble.  
The water around her sped up when she neared the entrance and found herself quite suddenly walled in on either side. she braced herself, knuckles turning as white as the wild water as she gripped the wheel with both hands. She had never taken this path before, having crossed over the cliffs on her trip to Viper Manor. There had been another boat waiting for her on the other side, but for some reason she and Jade had been unable to arrange such a thing this time. Jade had asked her again and again to wait until the arrangement was possible, but Kid simply could not wait to find out who her so-called angel was.  
A powerful jolt brought her back to the present and she scolded herself harshly for losing her concentration, even for a mere second. Her teeth gritted as the side of her boat scraped loudlt against a rock. It was the only cassualty, however, and with a yell of victory, she rocketed out into open ocean, her light-weight boat actually flying above the water's surface from the force of the current. An unusually strong sense of deja vu hit her, but it was over in an instant as the boat came down and walls of water soaked everything. The El Nido Archipelago area was small, and Kid could already see the main island, a promising brown and green blur on the horizon.  
  
Kid was never sure if she had good luck or bad luck. She would think bad luck for all the times she'd been the one to get caught in a tight or dangerous situation, yet she always had good enough luck to get out of it without much harm done. She just hoped that good luck would hold out in this storm... Of course she would have to be caught in a squall, she thought. What's a true adventure without a storm at sea? During her time with the Radical Dreamers, she had been caught in storms before, and luckily knew ways of staying relatively safe. When the sky became too dark and the winds too fierce, she lowered the sail to prevent her small craft from being capsised, and used the sail cloth instead to cover the boat in an effort to keep most of the rain out. Not wanting to catch cold, she huddled uncomfortably under a waterproof blanket, fished some travel bread out of her packed supplies, and waited.  
And waited... and waited... and fell asleep. She figured that even if something bad happened, she would not have much luck fighting a storm.  
  
"Hey Girly, you alive?"  
Kid opened her eyes, squinting at the small figure standing above the spot where she lay. She could feel sand beneath her, and smell the salty sea. "Who are you?" she asked grogilly while trying to sit up. The movement awakened a sharp pain above her left ear and she moved a hand to her head, feeling the dry blood that no doubt covered a nasty cut.  
"DonCHA move to much. That storm wasn't very nice to ya. My names Korcha." The boy talked in a mild but peculiar accent. "You look real familiar, but I know I've never metCHA. Maybe we were destined to be together!"  
Ignoring his last comment, Kid stubbernly pushed herself to her feet, trying to hide her dizziness. "Where's my boat?"  
"Oh, you mean that pile of drift wood?" Korcha asked with a rather sarcastic tone in his voice, pointing to the wreck a short way away. "Sorry about that, though I had nothin' ta do with it. Maybe I can help ya get a new one."  
Like all her other weak emotions, Kid refused to show her sorrow for the faithful little craft. She decided to rummage through the flotsum and jetsum for her supplies, but only made it five steps before blacking out. Korcha jumped to her side, scolding the unconcious thief for getting a concussion. Unable to carry her on his own, he just cleaned her wound and kept her comfortable until she woke up.  
The concussion was minor, and Kid awoke again after only a short rest, very embarrassed for having actually fainted. Korcha knew her type, however, and reassured her that it could happen to anyone, even strong sailors like her.  
"So, where am I, and how can I get to Termina?" she asked rather than comment on the complement.  
"You're in Guldove, and I can take ya to Termina. You should rest a bit first, though, donCHA think?" Korcha suggested, pleased to have a chance to travel with the firey but beautiful girl.  
"I probably don't have much of a choice," she admitted, resisting the urge to touch her head again, "but ya better not try anything just 'cause I'm cute."  
  
Kid spent the next night in Guldove, and in the morning she and Korcha set sail for Termina after she had finally retrieved what supplies were still usable from her wrecked boat. Korcha flirted with her at first, but shut up after she warned him that she would kick his arse so hard he kissed the moons, which he soon learned was her favorite threat.  
Once they had docked in Termina, Korcha asked to accompany her. At first she refused him, but after much arguing and even begging, all of which caused her head to start hurting again, she finally agreed. After all, she knew that she would probably need access to his boat, as well as some help with her search, which she had told him about during the trip. Korcha happily paid for one room at the inn. Kid was tempted to get her own, but was rather short on money and decided not to let it bother her. There were two seperate beds, at least. After shopping for fresh supplies and storing extra baggage at the inn, the pair split up and began to search for any information concerning a mysterious blue-haired, blue-eyed boy.  
They had no luck all day long, as well as most of the next. And then, at the end of the day when the sun was setting, Kid happened to be wandering alone near the outskirts of the city when a vague figure caught her eye. It was her dream boy, his back turned to her. His hair was covered by a brightly colored bandana. Startled and excited, she ran towards him, feeling as if she was on the verge of remembering something important, but just before she could touch him, he vanished. Sorely dissapointed, Kid stared at the place where the familiar boy had stood, realizing that it had been nothing but a mirage. After contemplating the vision for a long moment, she finally returned to the inn, and her dreams that night proved to be much more helpful.  
She was standing on a picturesque beach, gazing out across the endless ocean as she so loved to do. She noticed suddenly that instead of her ussual traveling clothes, she was dressed in a white gown, which did not please her very much. Her hair style had also been changed. Most of her long golden locks hung free, except for a single braid down the back which was decorated with a large pink bow. She wondered who had changed her clothes, but for some reason it did not worry her as much as she expected it to.  
Before her very eyes, her blue-haired angel materialized, a faint but pleasent smile gracing his features. He held out a hand, his mezmerizing eyes never leaving her own. Tentatively, she reached out her own now bare hand, and the moment their fingers touched, a feeling of warmth and joy coursed throughout her body, making her eyes light up and a smile appear. So this was where he was waiting. With some difficulty, she tore her eyes away from the charming boy, examining her surroundings, but not recognizing them. As soon as the question of where she was popped into her head, the dream shifted. Now she and the boy were back in Termina in the exact spot that she had seen him before. In fact, the only change in the vision was that now his right arm was raised, his index finger pointing south.  
Opening her eyes as soon as the dream ended, Kid jumped out of bed, grabbed her dagger and bag of supplies from a small table, and darted across the room to shake Korcha into wakefulness. "Oi! I know where we gotta go!" When the demi-human rolled over and burried his head under the pillow, Kid snatched it away and beat him over the head. "Bugger you! Get up already!"  
Korcha sat up in annoyance, using both arms to shield himself from the soft and puffy pillow of doom. "Leave me alone, ya brat. I wouldn't wanna marry a girl who wakes me up every morning with a pillow. Now what the heck do ya want?"  
Kid rolled her eyes, but quietly hoped that this meant he would stop hitting on her. "I said I know where we have to go. I saw that boy in a dream and he showed me a beach that's supposed to be south of here. I think I'll find him there," she explained, trying to remain calm.  
Reluctantly, Korcha abandoned the comfortable bed and began to gather their things. Kid had already put on her boots and gloves, as well as collected her belt with her dagger. Everything else she had slept in.  
"I'm guessing ya don't know how far south this beach is, right?" Korcha grumbled, slinging the pack of food, first aid items, and extra elaments over his shoulder.  
Kid shook her head, but did not give her companion time to complain. "We'll just sail along the edge of the island until I see it. If it's not on this island, we'll go farther south."  
With Kid being too excited to sit still, they left right away, following the island's rim so that Kid could see the beach all the way. It did not take long at all before she stood up and pointed, causing the boat to shake frightfully. "That's it!"  
Korcha steered the boat into the shallows of Opassa Beach, letting Kid jump off and splash her way up to the place where she had stood in her dream. Stopping her headlong dash with energy to spare, she looked around swiftly, making her sunlit hair fly from side to side. After a minute of silence with no sign of the boy or anyone else, she folded her arms over her chest and sighed. "Oi Korcha, there's a village near here, right? Maybe that's where he is..." Without waiting for a reply, she made her way inland while Korcha made sure his boat was securly docked, and also hidden to prevent anyone from stealing it, before running to catch up with her.  
They traversed Lizard Rock stealthilly, but in the end were not quick enough to avoid a fully grown komodo dragon that decided to rid its territory of the trespassers. Startled by the huge reptile's sudden appearance, Kid jumped out of the way, slashing fiercly with her curved dagger. The beast flinched from the knife wound, and she took the time to use a Fire Pillat elament, scorching the poor creature badly. Realizing that it had made a dangerous mistake in challenging the pair of travelers, the unusually wise komodo dragon chose to escape, leaving a trail of blood which showed that Kid had done more damage than she had first expected. She briefly wondered when she had become such a skilled fighter, but would not voice her thoughts for fear of causing Korcha to think that the easy victory had been nothing but a lucky accident, which it had, or so the Radical Dreamer assumed.  
Amazingly, they made it to Arni without having to deal with any other agressive creatures. The village looked slightly familiar to Kid, and that only increased her suspicion that she was in the right place. Just as they had done in Termina, Kid and Korcha split up to question anyone they met. It was Korcha who wondered onto the pier where a beautiful girl with long red hair stood watching several children who were playing in the ocean water. When he described the boy as Kid had described him to Korcha, the girl, who had introduced herself as Leena, was mildly surprised.  
"I used to know someone exactly like that, but I'm afraid he died years ago..." she explained sorrowfully, not meeting Korcha's eyes. It was clear even to the flirtatious young demi-human that she still missed her lost friend, and he decided not to burden her with more questions, and excused himself quickly before running off to find Kid.  
"There's gotta be a mistake." Kid argued when Korcha told her about his talk with Leena. Kid just could not believe that she was hunting for a boy who was alread long dead.  
"Well, didCHA find anything else, then?" asked Korcha with slight irritation. Why did she have to be so difficult?  
"No..." Kid muttered, "but I'm not givin' up. Maybe he's no in Arni, but somewhere else near Opassa Beach. There are still some places we haven't look yet, ya know. You try the woods around the village. I'm gonna explore that cliff on the western shore. I think it's called Cape Howl."  
Korcha could only agree as the ever-determined girl hurried off to acomplish the task which she had assigned to herself.  
  
When Kid breathlessly reached the peak of Cape Howl, she could only glare at the scene before her, for there at the very tip, backed by the ocean and the blue sky, was an ominous grave stone. Biting her lip, Kid knelt to read the grave's inscription, still deviantly doubting that she was the end of her search.  
  
R.I.P.  
Our beloved Serge...  
  
When her eyes fell upon the name that was carved into the stone, a shockingly clear image of her dream boy flashed in her mind. She forced herself to finish reading, although she was already very upset.  
  
Died age 7  
Nobody can take anything away from him.  
Nor can anyone give anything to him.  
What came from the sea, has returned to the sea.  
  
"Is that it?!" she shouted, standing and stomping her foot to release her emotion. "Why the hell did ya want me to come here if yer already dead, Serge? What am I supposed ta do about some damn ghost?!"  
"Shut up, you silly girl," a frighteningly familiar feminine voice with a strong accent commanded from somewhere behind Kid. 


	2. The Harlequin's Return

Chapter Two: The Harlequin's Return  
  
The firey girl whirled around to find herself face to face with a bizzare young woman dressed in the costume and makeup of a harlequin. She raised one eyebrow before commenting. "What the hell is a circus clown doin' here, and what right do you have to tell me ta shut up?" Perhaps if she had not focused so much on killing Lynx, she would have remembered the mysterious companion who had been with him the night the orphanage burned, but as it was, Harle being that person did not occur to her.  
"If you muzt know, ja'mapelle Harle, and I am no circus clown. I came to tell you zhat Monsieur Serge, at least zhe one you are searching for, is not dead."  
Kid glared at Harle suspiciously. "And just how would you know that?" she spat, her dislike for the clown winning over her renewed hope of finding Serge. "And what does ja'mapelle mean, anyway?"  
Harle laughed, her voice mingling with the ringing of the bells adorning her headdress. "What I said was 'My name is Harle'. A dog like you could do with some culture, no?"  
That was the last straw for Kid. In a flash she had her dagger drawn and was racing towards the mischievous jester, but Harle easily backflipped onto a rocky ledge out of the enraged thief's reach. "Calm down. I did not come to fight. I want to find Monsieur Serge az much az you."  
Harle prepared to jump back down, but Kid brandished her dagger in warning. "Why don't ya tell me everything you know about Serge, and if yer lucky I might consider working with ya. If you call me dog one more time, though, I'll kick yer arse so hard you kiss the moons."  
"Very well, I will tell you everyzing I know," Harle lied. "Zhe Serge whom you want to find lives in zhe... how do you say... parallel dimension. Zhere was once a portal to zhis alternate realite' on Opassa Beach, but it has dissapeared. I do not know how to open zhis portal, but I will help you find zhe way.  
"I still don't trust ya, but yer the only person who knows anything useful at all. So where do we go to find out how ta open a portal to another world?" In the past, Kid would have laughed at how crazy her own words sounded, but lately she had been getting used to the supernatural.  
"Zhat is somezing I do know. Zhe answer is Viper Manor. Zhere is a man zhere who I believe will be able to give us zhe information we need," the jester explained thoughtfully. "Now zhat I have told you all zhis, will you allow me to come down?"  
Kid rolled her eyes, but sheathed her dagger, turning to depart the grave site without another word. Only because of her carefully trained ears could the thief even hear her unwanted companion's footsteps behind her.  
  
After locating Korcha and explaining the new situation to him over a meal, they made arrangments to stay in Arni for the night in order to be able to have a fresh start in the morning when they would find a way into Viper Manor.  
"I still don't trust her, Kid," Korcha complained quietly as soon as he got a chance to talk without allerting the harlequin. "I'd rather go back to Guldove."  
"I know, but she's the only lead we have. And anyway, what are ya proposing to do? Leave me alone with 'er? Not that I like the idea, but I thought you wanted me ta be yer girl," Kid commented slyly. Korcha may have been annoying, but Harle was much worse in Kid's opinion.  
This well-thought reminder affected Korcha just as the clever thief knew it would. "DonCHA worry, Kid. I've gotta protect my future wife from that crazy clown. Anyway, now that I know what's going on, I want to see how it turns out."  
Despite the fact that Kid had brought it upon herself, she had to fight the urge to kick the arrogant demi-human boy after the comment about her being his so-called future wife. Sighing with resignation, she walked back to the corner that she had designated as her sleeping spot. It had turned out that Arni was such a small and infrequently visited village that there was no official inn, and the three chose to share a single room rather than sleep outside. There had been stormclouds in the sky all day long, and no one wanted to wake up soaking wet. Of course, Kid still slept as far away as the other two as was possible in the cramped space.  
  
It did not rain after all, and the hike to Viper Manor the next day was pleasent, at least as far as weather and temperature goes.  
"Oi Harle, what's this guy's name, anyway?" Kid asked, her voice lacking the agressive tone she normally used when speaking with the clown girl.  
Harle simply smiled at her, crimson eyes sparkling. "If I told you zhat, you would leave moi behind. I know you well enough to realize zhat."  
Kid tried her best to look innocent. "Aw, c'mon. I'm not that mean, am I?"  
Korcha snickered, but quickly changed it to a fake cough when Kid turned to glare at him.  
Other than this and a few other brief exchanges, the trio remained almost silent until they finally reached the gates of Viper Manor, where it occured to Kid that she had ben so focused on finding Serge that she had not considered the best way to sneak past the guards. Before Kid could stop her, Harle stepped into the open, revealing herself.  
To Kid's surprise, the guards took one look at Harle and began to open the gate. "Oh, you are Lynx's servent. Please come in."  
Harle and Korcha made their way through the gates, but Kid had stopped paying attention to anything other than the sentry's words. She was just barely able to keep herself from attacking Harle right then and there. Teeth clenched, muscles tense, and hand on the hilt of her dagger, she forced herself to follow the two-faced harlequin, silently swearing to kill her when she got the chance.  
Harle led the way through the halls of the mansion, and the soldiers paid her no mind. Soon, the trio crossed a stone bridge and entered the tower library. It appeared empty at first, but as Kid examined the room, she quite suddenly realized that an aged man was sitting motionlessly at a desk in the center of the book-stuffed tower, reading some huge dusty volume. When his eyes finally left the anciant pages to focus on the guests, he raised his eyebrows just slightly and stood up, beckoning the three travelers to come forward.  
"Bonjour, Monsieur Belthezar," Harle said quickly, not wanting the prophet to speak first and possibly give away information that the jester did not want revealed quite yet. "My companions and monself have come zeeking certain knowledge. We wish to reopen zhe dimensional portal. You can tell uz zhe way, no?"  
"Why would you want to do that, Harle? With the portal closed, everything is as it should be. Travel between worlds now will create new complications."  
"If a problem arizes, zhen I will repair zhe damage. We zimply want to vizit Monsieur Serge." Harle explained responsibly.  
"Even dragons can fall in love, I see," Belthazar said with a smile, causing Harle to raise a finger to her lips in a sign for silence, and Kid to glare darkly at the back of the clown's head.  
Finally, the thief could not stand it anymore. "Alright Harle, or whoever you are. You've got a lot of explaining to do," she growled, shifting into her attack position, dagger drawn. "First, what exactly is yer connecton to Lynx, and second, what the hell did he mean about dragons?"  
Harle smiled innocently and turned to answer the angered girl. "Zhat is information zhat you do not need to know yet, mon cherri." She jumped to the side as Kid charged, and then had to flip over a bookshelf to avoid the slashing dagger. "You are getting cranky. Perhaps you need zhe nap," she muttered before blasting Kid with her Lunairatic element, sending her crashing into a shelf behind her.  
Korcha jumped forward with a startled shout, "What didCHA do to my Kid?!" but before he could physically defend the injured girl, Belthazar placed a firm hand on Harle's small shoulder.  
"That is quite enough. You are making a mess of my library. I will tell you how to reach Serge, but I expect you to pick up the books which fell when you attacked your friend."  
Harle was not very happy about being scolded like a child, but she decided it was best not to challange the Prophet of Time. She knew she could easily destroy him, but the fact was that she did not want to. Instead, she watched as Korcha helped Kid to her feet, and then had to hold her back when she attempted to run forward for another try. Kid was holding one hand to her head, and the demi-human boy was afraid that she had hit the spot where her concussion had been. Belthazar talked her into calming down, and Harle stayed far out of her reach. Once they had finally managed to convince her to leave the harlequin alone for the time being, Belthazar returned to his chair and desk.  
"She has no memories of what happened before, does she?" the prophet asked, and Harle replied negatively.  
Korcha, who was still fussing over Kid, looked over his shoulder. "Memories of what?"  
"Neizzer does he," said Harle, and yet another argument insued. Luckily, actual violance was prevented the second time around. Order was soon restored and the trio waited for the prophet to begin  
"Let us see..." he muttered, deep in thought. "Miss Kid, do you have the Astral Amulet with you?"  
Kid automatically reached for the place where she had kept the little treasure tied to her belt, but froze when her fingers found nothing there. "Oi, it's gone! Bugger! What the hell happened to it?!"  
Belthazar raised a hand to silence the over-excitable young thief. "It is alright. Your amulet is with Serge. I was hoping that this was the case. The amulet has the power to carry a person through the portal from one world to another."  
Kid immediately perked up at this. "So all I gotta do is tell Serge to use my amulet?"  
But the prophet shook his head, dampening her hopeful expression. "That would be the case if the portal was still open, but it was closed after you and Serge were seperated. Before you ask, yes, you were together at one time. You do not remember now, but I believe you will eventually. As I was saying, to reopen the portal, a link needs to be created between worlds. because the Astral Amulet of Schala originated from this world, it can be used to make up half of the link. In order for this link to be completed, however, you need some item which was brought to this dimension from the other. If my theory is correct, the task will be quite easy. Once you have the second half, all you need to do is arrange for both items to be brought to a place where the portal is, one in each world. Then it should be a simple matter of one person calling the other through the portal. It is up to you and Serge to choose which world to meet in."  
Kid nodded, regretting the motion when her head took the chance to remind her that it was still hurt. She brushed it off, however, too excited about the prospect of finding Serge, even if she did not remember ever meeting him face to face in the past, save for the time he had rescued her from the burning orphanage. "Great, so I just need somethin' that came from his world..." she mused, chewing thoughtfully on her bottom lip. Her gaze shifted to Korcha and Harle as she addressed them. "I don't suppose either of you has anything?"  
To her dissapointment, she was answered with shaking heads from both. Although she doubted the likelihood of finding something useful, she untied a pouch from her belt and dumped its contents onto the floor in front of the spot where she, Korcha, and Harle sat. She sifted through the smal trinkets that were her only possessions other than the clothes on her back and the dagger on her belt. There was a pretty seashell, a few precious jewels, and the remains of a burnt child's drawing that had been retrieved from the orphanage, as well as a few items that Kid did not remember seeing before. Most did not appear too important, but one was a beautiful rainbow-colored scale, and another was a folded piece of paper with something written on it. With great curiousity, she unfolded the letter and began to read. Those waiting for her watched as her expression changed to one of wonder, then surprise, and finally sorrow. "Sis..." the word escaped her mouth without her even realizing she had said it out loud. quietly, her entire demeanor reversed, she turned away from the others, not wanting them to see the unshed tears forming in her sky blue eyes. The seemingly innocent paper fell from her hands, showing itself to be a letter signed by someone named Lucca Ashtear. Korcha placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, but she pushed him away, and afterwords all three of the obversers wisely decided not to question Kid's uncharacteristic reaction, and instead waited wordlessly for her to recover.  
A long silence passed until Belthazar decided that it was time to resume their important conversation. "Kid..." but before he could say anything more, Harle reached out and picked up the as of yet unexplained scale, her red eyes gleeming with delight.  
"Zhis is it! Zhis is what we need!" The energetic harlequin cheered, holding out the shimmering object for all to see. "Zhe komodo dragon scale zhat Monsieur Serge brought with him from his world!"  
Her face resolute, Kid turned and held out her hand in a silent request for the return of her scale. Once Harle had dropped the treasure into the outstretched hand, Kid returned it and the other items into the bag, carefully refolding and placing the letter in last. Once this was completed, stood and walked to the door, muttering a brief thanks to Belthazar while she waited for her would-be friends to follow her. Korcha took a breath and opened his mouth, but closed it again at a significant glance from Harle.  
The trio made it back to Arni by nightfall, the walk back from Viper Manor having been even quieter than the one there. The only thing keeping Kid from going straight on to Opassa Beach without rest was the fact that she still needed to relay the plan to Serge, and to do so, she needed to dream. With this in mind, she fell asleep very quickly.  
It was a nightmare that chose to play itself out in her mind. She was standing in a circular room, watched by six dragon statues which she knew represented the six dragon gods of El Nido. In the center of the room stood a pedestal on top of which was an object she somehow recognized as the Dragon Tear. More importantly, however, were the other people in the room with her. Serge stood beside her, as well as a person she did not immediately recognize. Opposite them was Lynx. Reflexively, she drew her dagger and made as if to attack, but something as not right, and she hesitated in confusion. Serge spoke then, egging her on, but when she did not move, he took her dagger from her, offering to avenge Lucca for her.  
Kid had never told Serge the name of the person who Lynx had killed, and now she realized what was wrong, but too late. The Serge who was not really Serge charged forward, and Kid watched the deadly tip of her own dagger turned against her.  
  
Although Serge had awakened on the beach with clear memories of the magnificent adventure he had shared with Kid and his many other friends, from discovering the truth about his father, to battling the Time Devourer and Lavos, everyone he mentioned it to insisted that it must have been a dream. After only a couple days of this, he began to think so too, and the memories faded into nothing. Nothing, that is, except for the image of a girl dressed in red standing with her hands on her hips and a confident smile on her beautiful face. To his surprise, this girl continued to visit his dreams, speaking of how she wanted to find him. He had never replied out loud to her, but he knew that she was aware of his odd but strong desire to meet her, whoever or whatever she was.  
He did not have much time to think about the girl during the day, as Leena had become more and more demanding. He tried his best not to let it bother him. She was his best friend and more, after all, but he could not help being slightly annoyed by how tightly she seemed to hold him, as if afraid that he would leave her if she loosened her metaphorical grip. At one time, he had wandered away from Arni for a few days, although he had no idea how or where to find the girl. when he returned, Leena and his mother both commented on a change in him, but it was not enough to alarm them.  
That night, however, he had another dream that was in fact a small section of the first one. There was the girl in red again, and it looked as if another version of himself was attacking her. A split second before she was stabbed, however, Serge jumped between her and his evil counterpart, and the dream faded, leaving the two of them standing in total darkness. Despite the pitch blackness, they could see eachother clearly as if they each glowed with their own light source.  
"Thanks, Serge. Bugger, that was close..." Kid said with a sigh of relief.  
"How do you know my name?" the boy asked. It was the first time Kid had heard him speak in any of her dreams or visions.  
She shrugged, not wanting to waste her time. "Long story. I'll tell ya about it later. What I really wanted to tell ya was that I found a way that we can meet," she explained with a smile. "You should have an amulet that ya probably don't remember ever getting, am I right?" When he nodded, she continued, "That amulet's mine, and it came from my world. I've got this komodo scale thingy that came from yours. According to this guy named Belthazar, if we take both items to a certain place, a portal connectin' our worlds will open. Any idea where that place might be?"  
Serge thought for a moment, happy that he would soon meet the mysterious beauty. "What about Opassa Beach?"  
She grinned brightly at his suggestion. "I was thinkin' the exact same thing, Mate. As soon as you wake up, head down to the beach and wait there. I'll do the same. I'll find ya fer sure, you can count on it!" Kid had wanted very much to stay and talk to Serge for a while, but as soon as the last sentence left her mouth, her mind drifted away from the dark void and the rest of the night was spent in dreamless slumber for both of them.  
Korcha and Harle were awakened unintentionally by Kid as she grabbed her dagger and the komodo scale from her pouch and dashed out into the pre- dawn mist. Mere minutes later in a parallel world, Marge sat up in confusion as her son hurried out of his room and through the front door, then had to come back in to retrieve the weapon he had left behind, incase he ran into trouble on the way. He was gone again before she could call his name. They reached their respective Opassa Beaches at the exact moment, Kid having been slowed down just slightly by a few wild monsters.  
Excited almost to the point of leaping for joy, Kid held forth the scale and instantly found herself surrounded by a swirling vortex as the gate opened. Tendrels of shining energy like the Aurora Borealis spiraled around her, one of them shooting so close to her hand that she pulled it back suddenly, the scale slipping from her grasp. There was a flash as the vortex was disrupted, and the pain of extreme anxiety welled up from the pit of Kid's stomach. Her eyes widened in fear and she dropped to the sand in search of the lost scale, but the sand was no longer there. The wild ribbons of power closed around the star-stealing girl, and Kid was not herself anymore, in every sense of the words. 


	3. The Paradoxical Puzzle

Chapter Three: The Paradoxical Puzzle  
  
"Oh Pip, I can't do this! All this way to find Lord Lynx, and now to save Serge, and I'm scared to death!" thirteen-year-old Kid shouted hopelessly.  
Her daemon, who had taken the form of a red fox, nuzzled her confortingly.  
"And even if Mrs. Harle got to Serge first," Kid went on, "she'd just take him back and kill him. Why do they do these things to children, Pip? I just don't understand!"  
But Pip had no answer. All he could do was cuddle close to her and wait for her terror to subside. Gradually, she calmed down, if only because she had no other choice. She was Kid, cold and frightened by all means, but herself.  
After her short outburst, she and her beloved deamon resumed their journey through the unbelievably cold arctic. If it were not for the layers of thick winterclothes she wore, Kid would have frozen to death long ago. Now, after months of hardships, fighting, and running, Kid was sure she had reached the end of her quest to rescue her best friend Serge. Originally, he had been captured by the gobblers, who were at first believed to be child-eating monsters, but were now known to be an organization lead by non other than Mrs. Harle, who Kid had just recently discovered was her own mother. this organization had been seperating children from their deamons, an act that almost always resulted in death. It was like cutting away a piece of the child's very soul...  
There had been many other shocking truths revealed, but all Kid was worried about now was catching up with Lord Lynx and finding out why he had run off in such a hurry with Serge. She had always looked up to Lord Lynx as an uncle, but after all she'd been through, she could not trust anyone.  
The Aurora flared out above them, brilliant and enchanting, outshining the millions of tiny stars almost to the point of hiding them from view. Transforming into a snowy owl, Pip flew high over the seemingly endless land of ice and frozen earth. circling above her, he called out, "We're almost there! Lord Lynx is just over the next ridge, unloading some sort of equipment from the sled. Serge can't escape..." Before he could say more, the Aurora flickered suddenly, and then vanished all together. Although shaken by the bizzare occurance, Kid could clearly feel something around her. Dust, that was what it was. The strange particles that both Lord Lynx and Mrs. Harle were so focused on. Lord Lync had said something about the Dust being the key to opening the gateway to another world...  
Something about that memory caused Kid to pause. Had she been to another world before? She knew that was impossible, but a voice burried deep inside her argued with her common sense. She was brought back to the present by Serge's voice calling her name.  
"I'm coming!" she cried back, struggling forward through the ever- white snow. She was moving on determination alone, her strength long spent.  
"Kid! Kid, help!" her friend's call repeated.  
"Hold on! I'll find you, Serge!" She had meant to say that she'd save him, and was not sure why she had said the word 'find' instead. Too desperate to worry about it, however, she finally pulled herself to the summit, and her blue eyes beheld the activities below.  
Lord Lynx was twisting together two pieces of wire that led to a row of odd batteries and other machanical trinkets. Crouching beside him like a monster about to pounce was his black panther daemon, and held carefully in her mouth like a cub was Serge's own daemon, Poshul, fighting uselessly for freedom. Of course, Serge could not go more than a few yards. The soul bond held him forever close to his precious little daemon, as it did to everyone, except for witches. The poor boy was calling out in a panic, first Kid's name, then his daemon's name, and then running to Lord Lynx and pulling at his fur coat. The man merely pushed him away distractedly. When Serge repeated the action, he was knocked to the ground.  
Kid had seen all of this by the light of the stars, but then as Lord Lynx finished connecting the wires, there was a shocking flash and the Aurora Borealis reappeared. With the bright light aiding her vision, Kid could now see that another wire was somehow suspended in the air, stretching all the way up to the rainbow curtain itself. A dark bird flew down from somewhere above, and Kid immediately recognized it as a witch's daemon, explaining how the wire had been raised so high. The witch was surely helping Lord Lynx, flying out of sight on a broom. Kid's attention was brought back to Serge then, as Lord Lynx beckoned him to come forward.  
"No! Get away!" Kid screamed as she tumbled down the slope to protect her friend. moving ahead of her, Pip attacked the panther and managed to free Serge's daemon from her jaws. The two younger daemons, as well as their human counterparts, were all fighting the great cat, hitting, scratching, biting, and pulling. As soon as the chance for escape showed itself, Kid took Serge's hand and dragged him away, running as fast as her weary legs would carry her. To her dismay, Serge writhed and screamed, and she realized to late that, although Pip had escaped, Poshul was once again trapped by Lord Lynx's panther. She tried to stop, but now she was not just being moved by her legs alone. The shelf of ice and snow was breaking away, sliding down towards the freezing sea hundreds of feet below. They were to far! Serge would die when the bond snapped!  
Above, a bolt of pure energy blasted through the glorious Aurora as the blast of power released by the breaking of a soul bond shot through the carefully planned wire chord, the tip of which was now joined to Serge's daemon. The starry sky was ripped apart like paper, and beyond it, floating high above, stood a vast city of golden towers and wide streets. Sunlight showed everything in its full glory, and Dust whirled around the opening like a million fireflies.  
The ice shelf had stopped, caught on a ledge or something. Serge lay still in Kid's arms, and he was not sure whether we was unconcious or dead. Pip was there beside her as always, and they watched as a silver dragon the size of a wolf flew over a white hill to land in front of the panther. It was Mrs. Harle's daemon. At first they both appeared wary, but the dragon reached out a scaly hand and, with the cat's silent permission, touched her head.  
And then Kid's gaze was drawn away from them, for Mrs. Harle herself had caught up, and was now wrapped in Lord Lynx's strong arms. She remembered now, Lord Lynx was her father. Why had she forgotten? Her parentswere both there, together again at last! It would have been a dream come true, if they had not become her enemies...  
"We won't be able to get away with this, Lynx." Kid heard her mother say sadly, but Lord Lynx contradicted her.  
"I've made it possible for anyone to cross. No one will be able to stop us. Everyone will want to see the other world, and not even the Church will be able to change things now."  
"You don't know how powerful they are..." Harle trailed off as Lynx held her tightly against his body.  
"I know better than anyone how strong the Church is, but the Dust and this other world will change everything. Look up, Harle! Behold the sun and wind of another world! Feel it on your hair, your face..." he pushed back her hood, turning her around and stroking her hair as she stared up at the city beyond the Northern lights. "Come with me to another world, Harle."  
The woman shook her head, obviously distressed. Lord Lynx was not happy with her answer.  
"Your daughter would come. Is she even stronger than her mother?"  
"Then take her. She is more yours than mine, anyway."  
But Lord Lynx shook his head. "That is not the case. You took her in, you tried to mold her. Twice you've tried to keep her, but twice she has escaped. She is just as stubbern as you."  
Kid's parents continued to argue, with their daemons watching solemnly, knowing that they would be seperated again, but Kid lost track of the words that were being said. The feeling of wrongness had been nagging at her for some time, and now it was growing stronger by the second. What were they talking about? Mrs. Harle... no... Harle had never held her, and they were not even her parents. Lynx was Serge's father. Kid knew that. She looked down at her motionless friend and a flood of conflicting memories washed through her head, dizzying her to the point that Pip had to steady her before she toppled off of the small ledge. What was she doing in such a cold and icy place, anyway? She was supposed to be finding Serge, despite the fact that he was there in her arms. Finally, names and memories fought their way to the front of her mind, and she stood up, balling her hands into fists. Her blonde hair blew free from her hood in the icy wind, and Pip stared up at her in wonderment as she shouted out, catching the attention of Harle, Lynx, and their daemons. "This is wrong! I'm Kid, the Radical Dreamer! Struth!" and with those words, the illusion around her vanished into thin air.  
  
Kid, the real one this time, was alone again. At first she thought she was back on Opassa Beach, but everything around her seemed transperant and unreal, as if she was stuck between worlds. She could even see ghostly figures moving around her, and wondered if they were her friends.  
"Congradulations. It took you less time than I expected to pass the Test of Mind," said a deep and almost unbearably loud voice, echoing off of the landscape more than was scientifically possible. Then again, Kid doubted that any laws of science held true in this place.  
"Show yerself!" she shouted, feeling her boldness and strength return.  
The ocean water rippled strangely for a moment, and then a huge draconic creature burst forth to float above and slightly in front of Kid. All of her memories having been restored at the end of the test, she knew the beast as the Time Devourer, though it was weak and incomplete, having been broken and left for dead once Lavos was done with it.  
"You again?!" Kid exclaimed, one hand on her hip and the other at the hilt of her dagger. "Haven't you learned not to mess with me an' my mates?"  
The dragon god shifted, it's great wings beating the air. "If Lavos could not destroy me, than no mere human can."  
"Ha! Bugger you! We killed Lavos, didn't we?" the thief pointed out confidently.  
"Very well. Since you think that you can best me, I shall put you through the second of my three tests. Your mind is strong, but what about your soul and body? If you pass all three, I shall allow you to complete your task, but if you fail..." and it gave her a serious look, as if to say that she most likely would, "I will keep you here for eternity."  
"And what if I choose not to take the tests?"  
"You will fail by defalt."  
She glared daggers at the creature and grumbled angrily, "That's not fair, but I guess I have no choice. Gimme the next test." Before the words had left her mouth, another illusion was placed around her. This time, however, she was still herself. "The Test of Soul, huh?" she said to herself as her surroundings changed.  
There were two scenes before her that seemed to merge together in the middle. To her left, in a room filled with raging fire, stood Lynx, with Lucca cornered against the wall. Kid took a half-step towards them, but out of the corner of her eye, she realized what the other scene depicted. It was Serge, and he was fighting Lavos alone. The enemy was beating him to the ground with element after powerful element, and she knew that he would not last much longer. So this was the test. A choice between saving Lucca's life, or saving Serge's. They were the two people she loved the most, one from the past, already long dead, but terribly missed... and the other from the present, still alive, but far from her reach. The correct answer was obvious, but she simply could not bring herself to abandon Lucca, no matter how much she loved Serge... was in love with Serge...  
Lucca was closer to her, just a short dagger's throw away, but Serge was being burnt, torn, and blasted to death before her very eyes. She had to make a choice, but she was not sure if she could live with herself after letting one of them die. The sensible part of her knew that it was just a mirage, but her emotional side, which was much stronger, was still fighting ferociously with itself. Her heart racing so fast she feared it would burst, Kid drew her dagger. Milliseconds passed that seemed like hours, until suddenly an idea came to her. With a fierce battle cry, she threw her dagger, the weapon that had saved her own life again and again. It struck the form that was Lynx in the back, right between the shoulderblades. Not waiting to watch, but knowing that Lucca had taken the chance to escape, Kid charged at Lavos, flinging her most powerful elements in quick succession. In no time at all, she stood in front of her badly injured love, screaming wildly as she forced the fake Lavos back. The monster retreated, and Kid once again found herself facing the Time Devourer, who was both impressed and iritated.  
"Good job," it said grudgingly, "but now you will face the third and final test. The Test of Body is much more simple than its predecessors, and yet it may prove fatal. You must defeat me in battle."  
"Ohh, how original," Kid said, voice laced with sarcasm. With silent pleasure, she found that her dagger had been returned to its sheath, and she drew it once more.  
As soon as she had taken up her fighting stance, she was thrown back by her opponent, who had moved in immediately to attack. She jumped back to her feet, ignoring her bruises, and darted in with her curved blade held high. She made it most of the way to the flying beast before being knocked back once again. The thief wondered when the Time Devourer had become so much faster. A battle like this was no time to be distracted, though, and she readied her vulcano element. The most powerful fire-based element was one of her favorites, and had been one of the items she had discovered in her bag when looking for the komodo scale.  
The violent blast of fire and lava shot upward from below the Time Devourer, and it flapped its charred wings to escape. The dragon god did not float back down once the element had cleared, but instead attacked from behind, first hitting Kid in the back with an UltraNova element, and then slamming into her bodily the instant the painful white power faded. It occured to Kid as she staggered to her feet and used one of her few healing elements that fighting this dragon had been much easier with two others helping her. After quite a bit of trouble, she was able to stand up straight, but her dagger lay at her feet, her right arm hanging shattered and useless at her side. Gritting her teeth, she prepared an Inferno element. It struck home, but from out of the flames like a phoenix the Time Devourer sprang, the tips of its wings trailing fire. It rushed Kid, and her weakened body would not operate fast enough. She was caught in the dragon's mouth and it held her prisoner just as the panther had done to Poshul during the first test, but the Time Devourer had no reason to let Kid live. The star-stealing girl screamed in horror as the long fangs piercing her flesh and the powerful jaws crushing her body. She swore she could feel her very spirit tugging to escape into death, and it would have succeeded if a small, brightly colored blur had not shot past, pulling Kid away from the dragon.  
In shock and to weak even to scream in pain, Kid blurrily looked up at her savior. Her dillusional mind at first showed her the face of Serge, but she blinked and he was replaced by non other than Harle. She lost conciousness before she had a chance to feel any outrage or humility at the fact that one of her least favorite people had saved her life.  
  
Laying the unconcious thief down gently, the Dark Moon Dragon then turned to face the dragon that she was a part of. Although she had felt it calling her, she had refused to merge with it, following its call only in order to save Kid. Honestly, she was not sure why she had bothered. She had always thought of herself as being cold-hearted and strong, but knowing that the Time Devourer would kill Kid, she simply could not ignore it, even if Kid was her rival in love.  
"How dare you interfere. This is not over, Harle... The humans who defeated us must pay for their wrong-doings."  
Harle did not answer, but only frowned at the beast before dissapearing with Kid.  
  
Chapter Three Disclaimer: The plot used in the Test of Mind is based on the final chapter of The golden Compass, by Philip Pullman. 


	4. The Long Awaited Reunion

Chapter Four: The Long-Awaited Reunion  
  
She lay in a pool of her own blood, gasping for breath. Harle could have at least tried to heal her, but no. Well, bugger that damn dragon. Maybe the Time Devourer would eat her or something.  
These were some of the thoughts that ran through Kid's mind while she attempted to raise her head enough to see more than just the pale blue sky of morning. No sun yet? Either the ordeal with the Time Devourer had taken only a few minutes... or she had been asleep for a day and a night. Kid decided that the first guess was actually more likely, judging by how fast she was losing blood.  
And then the soft sound of someone shifting position in the sand caught her ear. Taking a deep breath and gritting her teeth, she slowly pushed herself into a sitting position. It hurt like hell, but her strong will kept her from screaming. Now she could see Serge sitting with his back to her, watching the light in the eastern sky. The Astral Amulet was held tightly in his hands.  
With the very last speck of strength in her tortured body, the star- stealing girl dragged herself closer to the boy who she had been searching for. Sand stuck painfully to her many wounds, but she did her best to ignore it. With pain coursing through her body like fire, she reached out her left hand desperately, but it fell short. She whimpered almost silently, but it was enough to get Serge to turn. his eyes widened and a gasp caught in his throat as he bent over the bleeding girl. He delicately turned her over and lifted her head into his lap.  
"I... found ya..." were kid's last words before falling back into dark unconciousness.  
  
When Kid awoke, she felt as if she had been sleeping for weeks, and yet she was still extremely tired. She was lying on her back in a small but comfortable bed. The blankets were soft and clean, as were the bandages which covered most of her body. Moving just a bit, she found her lower right arm to be in a splint. Someone, hopefully female, had dressed her in a thin nightgown and taken down her hair. Supporting herself on one elbow, she tried to investigate the room with her eyes, but her body was racked by a harsh coughing fit.  
From close beside her, a gentle hand touched her shoulder and pushed her back down. "Don't move too much, Kid. You've got a few broken ribs, and Radius says that one of them punctured a lung," Serge's quiet voice explained.  
Tentatively, she turned her head. Sure enough, her blue-haired angel sat in a chair next to the bed, a concerned expression on his handsom face. Kid's lips pulled into the faintest of smiles. "You remembered my name..." she mumbled hoarsly.  
Serge nodded, smiling back. "I remembered everything as soon as I saw you two days ago. How could I ever forget you, Kid?"  
"Two days?" she asked, holding her breath to quell another cough. "It feels like.. I've been sleeping longer... than that." Her sentences were broken up as she constantly fought the blood that gathered in her pierced lung. She lost control again, sitting up suddenly as she was shaken by the persistant cough. Serge patted her carefully on the back to help cease the agonizing spasms, and then put a finger to her blood-specked lips to silence her. "Please stop talking. Your hurting yourself..." he pleaded, moving his hand to her forehead in a gesture of affection, his touch bringing solace burning skin. She noticed only then that she had a fever. Just one more thing added to her list of problems, but at least Serge was there to help her now. At that moment, with her mind and body weakened but her spirit dancing with love and joy, she wanted only to be with Serge forever, safe in his arms.  
  
During the days that followed, Kid frequently drifted in and out of conciousness. Occassionally she would even wake up at night to find Serge stretched out on the floor with a pillow and blanket. The boy spent nearly all of his time nursing her back to health, and she enjoyed the attention at first, but as she regained some of her strength and the shields that defended those emotions which she considered to be weak were rebuilt, the firey young warrior's helpless state embarrassed her. He did not use any healing elements to speed her recovery, but she forgot to ask him about it. Marge also helped, but only for the few things that involved removing clothes, such as bathing and applying fresh bandages. Eventually she convinced them both to let her wear her traveling clothes instead of the nightgown.  
After losing track of how many days she had been stuck in what she found out was in fact Serge's bed, Kid had serious cabin fever.  
"Argh! Bugger!"  
Serge heard the exclaimation while helping his mother prepare dinner, and he turned around just in time to catch his wounded friend as she stumbled out of his room, clutching her ribs. "Kid! What are you doing out here?!" he asked a little to loudly while guiding her to the nearest chair.  
"Getting outa that damn bed," she said almost venomously. "I can't stand bein' cooped up any longer, and anyway, I need excercise. How am I supposed to be a good thief if I can't even run?" Her words were interupted only once by a weak cough, a great improvement compared to the fits which had tormented her in the beginning.  
With a sigh, Serge sprinkled a pinch of herbs into a bowl of hot soup and handed it to her before replying. "Okay, you're right, but try to be careful. I don't want to lose you again so soon after you found me." Unnoticed by the pair, Serge's mother Marge smiled at her son's words.  
"It's a bit late tonight," Serge continued, filling two more bowls with soup for himself and Marge, "but if you're up to it, we can go for a short walk tomorrow."  
As promised, Kid made it down the steep steps and into the outside world, leaning heavily on Serge's shoulder. As it turned out, Leena had been waiting for them.  
"I haven't seen you in days, Serge! I know you were taking care of your friend, but you could have at least come to see me while she was asleep!"  
Kid glared in annoyance at Leena for interupting her time with Serge, and Leena glared right back for not letting her have any time with Serge. The poor boy had no idea what to do. He was just glad that Harle was not there.  
"Oh la la, zhe dogs are fighting over you, Mon Ami."  
Wishing he had not even thought about Harle, Serge prepared to spin around to face the obnoxious dragon, but remembered just in time that if he moved to quickly, Kid would fall. Instead, he satisfied himself by craning his neck around to give her a pointed look. "How did you survive the destruction of the Time Devourer?"  
"you of all people should know zhat. Zhe Time Devourer is alive, and it is what hurt your precious Kid so badly. Zhe one who saved her was none ozzer zhen moi," and the jester bowed extravagantly.  
"Thank you, Harle. We owe you so much," said Serge, to Kid's extreme irritation.  
"Oi, Serge, what're ya thankin' her for? If she had stopped the Time Devourer sooner, he wouldn't have beat me up. It's a shame they didn't just kill eachother..." Kid grumbled unhappily, and now Serge was trying not to glare at her.  
"Please stop fighting. You have no reason to be enemies now, especially if Harle's telling the truth about saving you, Kid."  
"Um, excuse me, but what are you talking about? And did you just call me a dog?" Leena finally asked, completely confused by the conversation.  
"Zhat is far to long a story for right now, Madamoizelle Leena. Perhaps Monsieur Serge will tell it to you later," Harle suggested before turning and dissapearing into the thick foliage behind Serge's house.  
"She is so... so..." Kid searched for the right word.  
"Annoying? Rude? Freaky?" Leena supplied, still watching the spot where the clown girl had vanished.  
"Yeah, that," Kid coughed.  
Serge just sighed, mentally wondering why they couldn't all just get along. Leena then decided to demonstrate what a gracious young lady she was by leaving Serge and Kid alone, but the walk was not as enjoyable as it would have been without the interferance.  
Even so, Kid insisted on stretching her legs outdoors at least once a day, lengthening her walks each time as well as accepting less and less help from Serge. When her arm could be taken out of the splint, she also started practicing with her dagger, and Serge remembered to spend some time with Leena as well, feeling responsible for upsetting her.  
At one point, all three of them were together in the small clearing outside of Radius's house. Kid was standing with her back against a fence, swinging her dagger in swift patterns through the air, while Serge and Leena sat nearby.  
"So Serge, will you be helping out with the decorations?" Leena asked suddenly.  
"For the festival, you mean? I think so. What's this year's theme?"  
  
Kid paused, letting herself slide down into a sitting position. "What festival?"  
Serge grinned as if hinting at great fun. "The Arni Summer Solstice Festival. It's small, nothing like the Termina Festival that was a couple months ago, but it's still fun."  
Leena nodded. "The theme for this year is music. There's going to be a contest, as well as several regular performances. Actually, I was thinking of signing up for one," and she smiled almost as much as Serge.  
Kid and Serge gave eachother thoughtful looks. "Hey, are you thinking what I'm thinking, Kid?" asked Serge.  
"You think we can get Ni-"  
"Shh," he cut her off, "don't say names! It would be a great surprise."  
She nodded understandingly, and Leena looked back and fourth between the two with no idea of what they were planning.  
Once they had convinced Leena that she would really love the surprise if she let them plan in private, they returned to Serge's room to decide how to get Nikki and the Magical Dreamers to come to the festival.  
"The problem, Mate, is that he won't remember us," warned Kid.  
"Actually," Serge mused, taking the time to check Kid's arm to see how using the dagger had affected it, "the Nikki in this world is not the one who was directly involved with the Chrono Cross. The only time he helped was the concert in Marbule. It's just a hypothesis, but he might still have his memories... maybe. And even if he doesn't, with all the money and rare items we collected over the course of that adventure, we could easily hire him."  
"Serge, yer a genius!" Kid said with a bright grin, but it soon faded. "But... um... what about me? I'm not too keen on being left behind while you go off lookin' for him."  
"I know. Radius had an old sail boat that should work well enough. Once we're out on the ocean, you won't have to worry about walking, of course."  
They agreed on the plan, and Serge went to tell Radius what they were doing. Not wanting to spend a night in a boat, they waited until early the next morning to haul the boat to the beach, with Kid riding inside. Serge had already packed plenty of food and elements, though he knew the area in which the Magical Dreamers' ship was, and he did not think it would be to long of a journey.  
As it turned out, the wind was at their back and it took less than two days. The two spent most of this time talking, until the constant motion of the waves beneath them set off Kid's cough again. She wiped blood away from her mouth, letting the sea water rinse it off of her hand. "Bugger... I thought my lung was healed by now."  
Serge could see the pain in her eyes. "It must have reopened. Let's turn back." He started to stand, but Kid caught his hand in hers and pulled him back down. "I'll be fine. We're more than half way there, anyway."  
"Alright, Kid..." Serge gave in, trusting the girl's strength, "but let's stop for the night, at least." With Kid's permission, he steered the boat torwards a small island and, after securing it to a seaside palm tree, they made camp on the beach.  
Long after Serge had fallen asleep, Kid lay awake, staring up at the tiny yet brilliant stars. She concentrated on patterns, ignoring official constellations, and making up her own. First a ship, then a dragon, and then one that resembled Serge in a battle stance, his double-bladed weapon held forward. suppressing a smile, she turned her head to look at where Serge was sleeping on the other side of the campfire, only to find his eyes open and watching her. She thought she saw something almost sinister in those ocean blue eyes, sending a shivver down Kid's spine.  
The incident was all but forgotten in the morning, and Kid sat up to find Serge cooking breakfast over the fire. When she saw him toss an unfamiliar herb into one bowl nut not the other, she questioned him.  
"Oh, it's a medicinal plant that grows in the woods outside Arni. I've been putting it in your food ever since I brought you to the village. I'm surprised you didn't notice."  
"I see," she mumbled in an uninterested tone. Later, when they were back on the boat, she dug a handful the dried herbs out of the pack just in case she needed them in the future. Serge was too occupied with controlling the boat to notice.  
Both the Zelbess and the Magical Dreamer ships were exactly where Serge had thought, between the main island and Earth Dragon Isle. After tying Radius's boat to the side of the ship, he hailed the crew of the Magical Dreamer ship, and they lowered a rope ladder. It proved a difficult climb for Kid, but Serge came right behind her and helped her up. When they reached the deck, she leaned weakly against him, coughing and trying to catch her breath. He told one of the crew members that they were friends of Nikki, and also that Kid had been injured recently. The sailor showed them an empty room where Kid could rest, but needed more proof before he would allow Serge into Nikki's cabin. In the end, the rock star himself had to be called out.  
Nikki watched Serge thoughtfully for a moment before speaking. "I... think I remember you. You say you were there when I performed at Marbule? Huh... for some reason I thought that had been a dream..." Although he was unsettled by the memory or lack there of, he shrugged it off. "What did you want to talk to me about?"  
Serge described the festival and that he wanted to hire Nikki's band, and when he agreed to Nikki's offered price, the singer had no other arguments. It turned out that the band had been looking for a gig, and did not mind that Arni was such a small village. They were still attached to the Zelbess, so the cruise ship went too.  
  
The villagers of Arni stared in total wonder as the two huge ships squeezed into the harbor, which was just barely big enough, and dropped anchor. Leena was bouncing up and down with excitement when Serge and Kid docked the sail boat.  
"It's... it's the Magical Dreamers! Serge, I love you! How'd you get them to come, anyway?!"  
"I, er, had some money saved up, that's all..." the blue-haired boy said with a blush, ignoring Kid's look of jealousy. "I see you went ahead and decorated while we were gone," he said to change the subject, admiring the many ribbons, banners, and flags that had been placed around the village, as well as the small stage set up.  
Unfortunately for Kid, the trip seemed to have strained her still unhealed wounds, and she was forced to stay in bed again. To comfort her, Serge promised that she would get to enjoy the festival, even if it meant he had to carry her the whole time, which was a possibility. With nothing better to do, Kid slept most of the time, and the festival was upon her and her friends within no time. 


	5. Fluff And Stuff

Chapter Five: Fluff And Stuff  
  
With Serge's support, the star-stealing girl stepped out to find that market stalls had been arranged around the empty field near the center of the village. There seemed to be more people than usual, showing that a few had traveled from other places, though they were mostly friends or relatives of the Arni residents, as well as the passengers of the two ships.  
Serge did carry her at first, as he had promised, but she soon got sick of it and complained until her feet were on the ground. Leena accompanied them as well, and payed even more attention to Serge than usual. As the three traversed the fairground, a competition arose between them. First, Leena dragged Serge, and Kid with him, to a booth selling jewelry and pointed at a komodo scale necklace, for Serge had never got around to finishing the one he was supposed to make for her.  
"Oh, it's so pretty. If only I hadn't spent all my money on that dress to wear for the contest..."  
Falling into her manipulation, Serge payed for the necklace and handed it to her wordlessly.  
"Oh, thank you!" she exclaimed, jumping forward to hug him. His innocent eyes widened, and Kid scowled, until she thought of a counter attack. She waited until she saw Serge examining an item with interest. It was a dangerously beautiful swallow weapon, just like the ones he specialized with, but it was expensive and Serge debated quietly whether or not to buy it. Hiding a sly smile, Kid produced a bag of coins and placed it in her companion's hand. "Buy it," she said simply, and reveled in his gratefullness.  
Realizing that it would take more than generosity with money, the girls' minds worked rapidly to come up with ideas to win Serge's heart.  
Again, Leena acted first, and she chose a subject which Kid was hardpressed to compete with, leading the way to a clothing shop and holding various fancy dresses up in front of her. "What do you think, Serge? Is purple my color, or should I wear green to contrast with my hair?"  
"I like the purple one," Serge said without much interest, and then pointed out a slim blue dress with white flame patterns. "Hey Kid, that would look nice on you. You should wear dresses more oftan."  
"Eh, they don't suit my personality... but if ya really want, I'll wear one for you some time," the blonde-haired girl offered. She did not like the idea much, but Leena's dissapointed look made up for it  
The girls tried several other tactics without much success, and finally Kid got up the nerve to ask Serge the question that had started the whole thing. "Mate, how do you feel about me?"  
Serge looked with uncertainty at the girl who was clinging to his arm for support. "What are you talking about, Kid?"  
"I just wanted to know how I compare to Leena in your mind," she said boldly.  
Serge, not acting at all as she had expected him to, laughed. "Oh, so that's what all this was about! I should have known. You are my two best friends who I'd give my life for, and I'd appreciate it if you would stop fighting over me."  
Leena and Kid looked at eachother aghast, but obeyed the request of the boy who they both loved. Unknown to the other two, however, Leena had seen something in Serge's eyes when he spoke to Kid, and she finally accepted what she could not change.  
  
After spending all morning outdoors, Serge took the exhausted Kid back to his house for lunch and to rest, but after a nap, Kid forced herself up again in time for the music contest.  
Making herself comfortable on one of the benches circling the stage, she waited for Serge to join her, carrying sweet drinks and fruit-filled pies which were being sold at a booth nearby. Kid enjoyed the treat while the stage was readied for the coming contest.  
"This food's great, Mate!" she said cheerfully, trying not to cough.  
"I was hoping you'd like it. It's sort of a specialty for the fair. It is only sold here once a year," he explained before biting into his own pie with a smile on his face.  
At the start of the contest, there were a few average performances, and one terrible one, and then a surprise flipped onto the stage out of nowhere in the form of a very familiar jester. It was only the second time Harle had been seen after saving Kid's life. The thief looked to the judges, but they seemed to have expected it. For some unknown reason, or maybe just for the fun of it, Harle had signed up for the contest. She did not sing, but instead pulled out a pair of pennywhistles and played them simultaneously, performing wild flips and spins without missing a beat. She probably would have won, if she had resisted the urge to spice up her show with a bit of clownish mischief, summoning three of the precious pies from out of thin air and juggling them before tossing them with deadly precission at the judges.  
Leena's turn came right after Harle's, and she did all she could to sweep the crowd off their feet. Her long hair was braided and tied in an intricate design, and she had changed into a form-fitting red gown with flowers of black embroidered on it. The komodo scale necklace which Serge had given her that morning hung at her chest, shimmering brightly in the sunlight. Stepping onto the stage, she spun in a graceful whirl before raising her voice in song.  
  
"The water is wide, I cannot cross o'er,  
And neither have I wings to fly,  
Build me a boat that will carry two,  
And both shall go, my love and I.  
  
There is a ship, and it sails the sea,  
It's loaded deep as deep can be,  
Yet not so deep as this love I am in,  
I know not if I sink or swim."  
  
Someone at the side of the stage played a lovely solo with a hammered dulcimer while Leena danced in slow and flowing steps for a moment before continuing. During her song and dance, her eyes always returned to Serge as if her words were directed at him, which he did not doubt.  
  
"I leaned my back up against an oak,  
I thought it was a trusty tree,  
But first it bent and then it broke,  
And so did my false love for thee.  
  
Oh love is gentle and love is kind,  
The fairest flower when first it's new,  
But love grows old and then grows cold,  
And fades away like morning dew.  
  
The water is wide, I cannot cross o'er,  
And neither have I wings to fly,  
Build me a boat that will carry two,  
And both shall go, my love and I."  
  
Most of the audience clapped and cheered, but Serge remained silent, wondering why the girl who had always tried to get his attention had chosen that particular song. Had her words been serious? Kid's mind was centered on the same thoughts, and the admittedly selfish hope that one of her rivals had backed down.  
"Serge, may I talk to you alone?" Leena whispered as she walked past him, and he obediantly followed her, looking back to see Kid's eyes on him.  
Leena led Serge to the very edge of the village before speaking, "Sorry Serge, for being so selfish. I know you love Kid, and I can't compete with her no matter what I do, so I won't bother you two any more."  
Serge had been expecting this, and, having nothing better to use, untied his bandana and wiped away the tears that were sparkling on Leena's cheeks. He could think of nothing appropriate to say, and once her eyes were dry, Leena left the way she had come, saying something to Kid which Serge could not hear.  
When the boy sat back down beside the injured thief, she gave him a curious look. "What's up with Leena? She told me to take good care of you, but yer the one who's been takin' care of me. What did she mean?"  
"I'll tell you later," said Serge, shyly wrapping an arm around her shoulders.  
At the end of the contest, Leena was announced the winner, and she mounted the stage to accept her prize without looking at Serge and Kid. The sun was setting now, and once the stage was cleared, Radius stepped forward to address the crowd.  
"Thank you all for coming, and I hope you have enjoyed this year's Arni Summer Solstice Festival. We have one final show that I am sure you have all been waiting for. Without further adu, I present to you the Magical Dreamers!"  
Perfectly on cue, the band paraded onto the stage, lead vocalists Nikki and Miki in front, followed by Yu and Mi the backup singers, and then the instrument players.  
Serge and Kid listened to the first couple of songs, but, despite the wonderful music, Kid was growing restless. Suppressing a cough, she shifted and fidgetted in her seat until Serge became concerned. Not wanting to disturb the concert, he helped Kid to her feet and they walked to the back of the audiance.  
"What's wrong?"  
she sighed, knowing that he had been wrapped up in the music, and sorry that she had spoiled his fun. "I don't know. Just uncomfortable."  
"Do you want to go to bed?" he asked, his voice sounding more and more worried, but she shook her head.  
"It's not that. I'm just tired of the crowd."  
Serge understood and began to walk, taking her to the small beach beside the pier where the two ships were docked, but far enough away so that the sentries could not see them. Kid plopped down on the sand, the quick movement making her double over and cough up blood. Her blue-haired angel knelt at her side and massaged her back with one hand to sooth her. No words were spoken between them, even after Kid had caught her breath. Serge held her hand and looked deep into her eyes, and she returned the look, communicating through touch and sight. A multitude of warm emotions flooded Kid's mind and heart.  
Serge pulled Kid's body into his lap, holding her as tightly as he could without causing her harm. Slowly, the boy leaned down, his gaze never leaving hers until the moment their lips met in a chaste kiss. They seperated by a mere inch, and Kid smiled before moving forward to answer the kiss with a much deeper one that seemed to last forever. Their moist tongues touched softly at first, as if to become acquainted, and then tangled together, causing the sweetest of sensations. Kid wondered how Serge had learned to be such a good kisser.  
The demonstration of love did not end there, and now the Radical Dreamer took the initiative, tugging at Serge's shirt, but he stopped her, a flicker of worry returning to his face. "Are you sure you're not too weak?"  
"I'll be fine. Please Serge... I need this," she said in a whisper before completing the task of ridding him of his shirt. She traced her hand over his narrow but well-muscled chest, wide-eyed in wonderment, and then, careful not to hurt her ribs, she pulled off her own vest and the skimpy little shirt under it. They kissed again, as if to ready themselves, and then shed the rest of their clothes impatiently. The last thing to go were the red ribbons that held Kid's hair, and the golden locks fell freely over her shoulders.  
Under the stars and the two shining moons, they showed their love in the most passionate of forms, with Nikki's enchanting music still playing in the distance. 


	6. The Heartbreaking Reality

Chapter Six: The Heartbreaking Reality  
  
In the morning, the young lovers decended the steps from the their home as they had done several times before, only this time, instead of Serge simply allowing Kid to lean on is shoulder, both of his arms encircled her warmly. The festival decorations were in the process of being taken down, so Kid sat on the edge of the stage and watched Serge help the other villagers. After only a minute, Radius made his way to her side and greeted her pleasently.  
"Good morning, Kid. Your injuries are almost fully healed now, am I right?"  
"No, they're not... I'm still coughing up blood, and my ribs haven't stopped hurting..." she told him uncertainly.  
"Are you sure?" questioned the old man with a serious frown. "It's been a month and a half, you know. You should have been completely healed, unless there were complications... Has Serge been feeding you that medicine I gave him?"  
She nodded, biting her lip. She couls still see Serge out of the corner of her eye, and dreaded his reaction when he found out.  
"There must be an infection," the village chief continued. "Although I hate to say it, I'm going to be honest with you, Kid... If an infection has lasted this long, it will be very hard to fight. It may weaken your body permanently. To stop this from happening, you must stay indoors and, other than short walks through the house, you should not leave your bed. I will give Serge some stronger herbs for you. If you take care of yourself, you still have a chance to recover."  
Kid listened silently, biting her lip. She just could not imagine herself, Kid the Radical Dreamer, as a cripple. Seeing her unhappiness, Radius offered to tell Serge for her, but she shook her head, forcing herself to be strong. She watched the boy talking and laughing merrily with the villagers, and hated the fact that she would have to upset him as much as she hated her condition. And her request, Radius left her alone to wait for Serge. When he came to check on her, she told him she was tired and asked him to go back with her, and as soon as they were alone in the room they shared, Kid sadly repeated what Radius had said to her.  
"Oh Kid, I'm sorry..." Serge said emotionally, "but you're so strong. I know you'll pull through. I'll go fetch those herbs from Radius right now if you want."  
But she shook her head, clinging tightly to his hand so that he would not leave. "Stay with me, just for a little while..." she paused to cough. "I'm... scared." It took all of her will to say such a thing. She was supposed to be strong and fearless, but at that moment, that description was far from the truth.  
Knowing how hard it was for the firey girl to admit her weak mortallity, Serge sat down on the edge of the bed and embraced her, letting her bury her face in his shirt. He was startled to feel a slight dampness soak through, but did not comment as she shook and cried quietly.  
  
Time passed, and Kid's illness gradually worsened. Although the thief did become bored of staying in bed most of the time, she knew better than to complain. Everything would change, however, one week after the festival. On this day, the thief's protective lover had been assigned the job of catching dinner, which meant he was far out in a fishing boat and there was no telling when he would come back. A certain red-head took the chance to have a friendly chat with her ex-rival.  
Kid sat up in bed as Leena stepped into the room with a mumbled greeting. "Hey Kid... I just thought you might like some company since Serge is out fishing."  
The ill thief shrugged, not admitting how true Leena's statement was.  
  
"Anyway," the other girl continued, "I know you're not supposed to go out, but it seems like staying in this room forever is not very healthy either. I say this because I had plans to walk to Divine Dragon Falls today and I was wondering if you'd like to come."  
"Yeah, I would..." muttered Kid, "but I can't exactly walk."  
"Don't worry about it. I've got this little old wagon that I used to pull the village children around in for fun. You can ride in that, if it doesn't bother you. the only tricky part would be sneaking you away without anyone noticing. That's why I waited until Serge was gone."  
Kid nodded at Leena's reassurance. She really did want to go, after all, though she had no idea why Leena was suddenly being so nice to her. If it had been someone else, she would not have trusted them, but she knew that Leena was an honorable, decent girl, and would not seek petty revenge. "Alright, I'll go."  
Pretending to leave, Leena waited around outside until Marge walked out the door to visit Radius over some trivial matter. As soon as Serge's mother was out of sight, the girl slipped back in and helped Kid get to the wagon which had been parked in an unobtrusive spot outside. There was a piknic basket already stashed at the front of the little wagon, leaving just enough room for Kid. She hoped no one whould notice her, both because they would send her back to bed, and because she did not want to be seen in a dinky toy wagon.  
With the combined skill of the thief and the clever village girl, they made it out unseen. Leena chattered away pleasently as she pulled the wagon through the woods on the fairly long hike to the waterfall. Kid had not been out of Arni village in far to long, and, even though she coughed a bit and generally felt very weak, she truly enjoyed the change of scenery. The fact that Leena seemed to have completely accepted Kid's relationship with Serge helped, and by the time they finally came into view of the beautiful falls, they had become much closer spiritually. After making sure Kid was comfortably sitting on a blanket just far enough away from the water to keep dry, Leena took off all but her underclothes and swan-dived off of a ledge, recieving weak cheers from her friend. It was already noon, but the two decided to wait a little while before eating, so Leena cooled herself off in the clear water and Kid relaxed on her blanket... until she heard a moan from somewhere within the cave. It was the faintest of sounds, and she thought at first that she had imagined it, but the voice was so familiar that it nagged at her until her innate curiousity was raging.  
Leena was engrossed in her swimming, and did not see Kid struggling to her feet and limping into the cavern. At first glance it looked the same as always, but after a more thorough search, Kid realized that a few rocks had fallen away from the wall to reveal a narrow crevice. Kid, already being a skinny girl, had lost weight over the course of her illness, and could easily fit through the crack. Upon doing so, however, she froze, paralized by the gruesome scene that she beheld.  
On the jagged stone floor of the hidden room, devoid of clothing and laying in his own dried blood and refuse, was an emaciated young man. It was too dark to see the boy's features, but Kid could make out the rusty chains which kept him prisoner. Covering her mouth to keep from coughing, Kid knelt and gently turned the boy over, only to fall back with an involentary cry. It was like a nightmare, and she squeezed her eyes shut in the futile hope that she would wake up safe and far away from such horror. Her reaction was all due to the identity of the boy before her, for she knew him more personally than any other. But that was impossible, right? She had seem him just the day before, yet this boy had clearly been here for weeks, maybe even months if someone had brought him food occassionally.  
With tears already streaking her face, Kid reached out and ever so lightly touched his cold forehead, and at her touch, his mezmerizing blue eyes fluttered open. For a moment they showed uncertainty, and then widened suddenly in recognition. They stared at eachother as the seconds ticked by, and then the starving boy lifted one thin arm and brushed the tip of his finger over her cheek, catching a single teardrop. His dry lips opened partially and mouthed something. Swallowing, he tried to speak a second time, and managed nothing but a whisper of her name.  
Even with her own weakness, Kid stumbled to her feet, taking a heavy rock with her, and slammed it against the rusted chains until the gave out. Collapsing from the effort, she crawled to the boy on her hands and knees. He seemed only half-awake, and she had to drag him to the cave entrance.  
"Kid! What are you doing?!" Leena shouted back, scrambling out of the water and up to her friend. Only then did she notice the other figure, and had to stifle a scream. "How can this be?! I-I saw him just this morning!"  
"Shut up an' help me," Kid commanded through clenched teeth. The starved boy had fainted in her arms, and she herself was on the verge of collapsing again. With Leena's cooperation, she carried him to the blanket, folding part of it over to cover his naked body, and sitting down beside him.  
"This can't be real... What if it's a trap?"  
Kid did not look up from the boy's face. "We can't risk losing him. Get some water and food. We're gonna have ta stay here until we find out what's really goin' on..."  
"I can tell you zhat," said a soft voice, just as Leena was gathering what Kid had asked for.  
Leena and Kid looked up in surprise to see Harle perched like a bird on a low tree branch above them. Suspecting the jester immediately, Kid would have attacked right then and there if it were not for her weakness. Leena was more rational, however, and set down the food and drink before confronting Harle. "Tell us everything, but make it quick. Why does Serge look like he's been trapped in that cave for weeks when I saw him as well as ever this morning?"  
Harle jumped lightly out of the tree so that she could be on the same level as the human girls, who listened with stunned expressions as the truth was unvailed. "Zhe one you saw was not zhe real Monsieur Serge. Monsieur Serge's orginial body, which was stolen by Monsieur Lynx, was not destroyed in zhe battle with Fate, and zhe wounded Time Devourer found it after Lavos was defeated. Zhe Sky Dragon, who is zhe strongest and zherefore controls zhe ozzer five, chose to use zhat body as a weapon against zhe ones who defeated him. To prevent any interferance, he imprisoned zhe real Serge here. Being a dragon monself, I knew of his plans, and I have been keeping mon ami alive. And before you ask," she said quickly, as Leena opened her mouth to object, "Zhe chains zhat held him were cold iron, and a magical being such as moi is unable to touch it."  
"Yer lying!" Kid shouted, shaking her head in disbelief. "Even if it were true, why would you be workin' against the other dragons? And even if ya are, how can we trust a traitor!"  
Harle sighed in exasperations. "You are impossible to please, non? If you refuse to believe moi, ask Monsieur Serge."  
Kid and Leena suddenly realized that the boy had regained conciousness and was watching them quietly. When Kid asked him if Harle was telling the truth, he nodded. Returning her attention to Serge, Leena lifted his head and offered him the cup of water, which he gulped down with renewed vigor. With the cool water soothing his throught and the light of the sun warming his skin, he felt better than he had in months.  
"Kid... Are you alright?" his gentle voice asked, noting that the blonde thief had gone silent, staring off into space. Harle's words meant more to her than the others realized. Coughing slightly, she regained her composure after several seconds, clenching her hands into fists. "No... No, I don't believe you. You're lying!" she screamed, pushing herself forcfully to her feet and running with a burst of strength back in the direction of Arni.  
Leena shot a worried glance at Harle. "I have to find her before she hurts herself... Whoever or whatever you are, please watch Serge until I get back. Try to get him to eat something. I think I know why Kid reacted like that..." With one last look at Serge, she ran off after her friend. Kid had made it farther than Leena expected, but her trail was not hard to follow, and finally the red-haired girl saw her fallen in a fetal position with her back againt a tree. At first she appeared to be unconcious, but as Leena came closer, she could hear quiet sobs.  
In a moment of tender compassion, she sat down next to the crying girl and placed a hand on her back to get her attention. "Hey Kid... It's okay to cry sometimes, but right now you should be with Serge. I know the one who you has taken care of you is just a double-crossing lyer, but you still love the real Serge, right?"  
Kid's only response was to sniffle and nod slightly.  
"But there's more to it than that, isn't there?" inquired Leena insightfully. "You feel like you've been cheated out of something precious, and have betrayed your Serge at the same time."  
This time she did look up, eyes wide and tear-filled. "How did you know?"  
Leena shrugged, frowning. Kid was her friend, but she was still a bit jealous. "It was pretty obvious. Anyway, that's not the issue. Listen, Kid, you can't let yourself fall into a depression just because that bastard tricked you, and as for how the real Serge would feel, I think he'd be honored to know that you would be so intimate with him."  
"Thanks... Mate..." the Radical Dreamer mumbled through coughs and sobs.  
"Come on, let's go back. You really shouldn't strain yourself so much, you know," she scolded gently, pulling Kid to her feet.  
They made it half way back to the falls before Kid had to stop, and before they continued, Harle and Serge found them. The boy was clean and dressed in clothes very similer to his old ones. Harle had probably gathered them for him to use in case he escaped. He looked much more lively after the fresh meal which he had enjoyed before following Leena and Kid. He sat at the wounded girl's side and smiled at her her in wordless thanks, while Harle explained the plan.  
"Listen. Kid and Monsieur Serge, you must stay in these woods until you are well. Zhe villagers may search for you, but I can keep you hidden. Madammoizelle Leena, return to Arni and act as if you know nozzing. You will be our spy. Until you all are able to fight, we cannnot make a move against zhe Time Devourer."  
  
As it turned out, Harle showed the trio back to the same clearing which Leena had found Kid in. Here the clownish dragon revealed a small hole in the ground that had gone previously unnoticed. It was the entrance to what appeared to be a den made to accomodate humans. There was straw bedding in one corner, and a cabinet full of long-lasting food rations. When Harle had left the two alone, Kid let herself fall onto the bed and was to sleep almost instantly. She was only awakened that evening by her hunger, having not gotten a chance to eat since the day before. Serge, who had made himself quite at home in the little hideout, fetched her some dry meat and fruit from the cabinet. She started to take a bite of the meat, but then remembered something and dug through her pouch until she found the old herbs which she had taken during the hunt for the Magical dreamers and promptly forgot about afterwards.  
Just before she could apply the herbs to her food, however, Serge's hand shot out and stopped her.  
"What's wrong? This is medicine for my infection," she told him, her hand still held in his awkwardly.  
He shook his head, not letting go of her. "That's not medicine. That's a mild poison found near Arni. It can slow or even stop the healing process... Kid the Time Devourer give it to you?"  
She stared at her closed hand in surprise. "Well... yeah, he did. I mean, he told me Radius had given it to him, but he must've been lyin'. So wait, does this mean my lung isn't infected? It was just this stuff that wouldn't let it heal?"  
Serge nodded, finally removing his hand, as well as the poison. "That's right. You'll be fine soon as long as you stop taking it."  
"Wow..." the girl muttered, quite pleased with the news. "Thanks a bunch, Mate."  
Serge just smiled in answer and gestured for his friend to eat her dinner. 


	7. The Nightmare's End

Chapter Seven: The Nightmare's End  
  
Without the poison, Kid was back to her firey old self in a matter of days, and she and the real Serge finally had time to catch up on what had been happening to the two of them. She was happy to find him to be almost as affectionate as the fake had pretended to be. The truth was that they had loved eachother before they had ever been seperated in the first place, though niether other them had admitted it yet. They were happy just being together, and tried not to let their respective memories of suffering bother them.  
Leena came as soon as she got the chance. She had only managed to get to the clearing without being followed because she had signed up with the search party that had been formed to locate Kid. The fake Serge suspected Harle, and let the rumor spread that Kid had been stolen away by a dragon disguised as the mysterious jester. Luckily, no one but the four conspirators knew the location of the hideout.  
All too soon came the day when Harle awoke Kid and Serge and told them to prepare for the coming battle. Both of them had been training, and had regained nearly all of the strength they once had. It was time to end the Time Devourer's cruel game of revenge.  
Spinning her dagger with carefree skill, Kid leaned against a tree and looked confidently at her friends. "So, how're we gonna do this? Just charge right in, or does anyone have a better plan?"  
Harle, who was floating a foot above the forest floor, held up a subduing finger. "Zhat would not be wise, Mon cher. We must lure zhe enemy away and fight him on our own terms. Madammoizelle Leena, if you could lead zhe fake Serge here into zhe woods without him suspecting anyzhing, we could stage zhe ambush."  
It was decided that the group of mismatched companions would wait until sundown, giving them time to prepare. Harle and Leena went off to discuss the plan in more detail, and also to let Kid and Serge be alone. Kid was now sitting with her back still to the thick tree, and Serge had taken a similer position on the other side, facing the opposite direction. The seconds passed in silence until Kid finally got sick of it.  
"Serge, I..." she started suddenly, but the words caught in her throught, and she mentally scolded herself for sounding weak. Serge stayed quiet, though, so she gathered the courage to continue. "I... guess you know how I feel by now. About you, that is..."  
He shook his headbefore realizing that she could not see it from where she was. "Maybe."  
"Serge... I, um, made love to the Time Devourer... when I though it was you..." It became slightly easier as she spoke. It was as if she could feel the oppressive weight being lifted from her.  
The boy moved to look at her from around the tree. When she realized that he was watching her, she raised her eyes to meet his. All the fire had momentarilly gone, leaving an innocent but serious young woman.  
"Did he hurt you?" asked Serge, and Kid mentally thanked him for caring so much about her.  
"No..." she replied, "It was my choice, because I love you, Mate..." She tried her best not to show it, but Serge knew that the girl was terified of being rejected.  
To reassure her, he smiled. "I love you too, Kid."  
It was all that needed to be said, and the infinately relieved girl threw herself into Serge's arms, accidently knocking him onto his back. Though surprised at first, he returned her affection, embracing her warmly. Her face was nestled against his shoulder, but she did not cry this time. Serge stayed quiet, but he was glad to see his beloved so happy at last.  
"It's about time..." Leena whispered to Harle from where they where she and the jester were spying from a concealing tree.  
  
And then night fell. Leena had already left to lead the Time Devourer to the clearing, and Harle was nowhere to be seen. Kid had been waiting silently, eyes closed, listening to every faint noise which eminated from the surroundings. The sound of Serge moving slightly caught her attention, and she opened one eye to glance at him, but something was wrong. She turned her head to look him in the eye directly, then jumped back, instantly on gaurd. "What are ya doin' here, and where's Serge?!" she shouted in startlement, having recognized the person beside her as the fake Serge who was controled by the Time Devourer.  
To answer her question the boy moved out of the way, and the true Serge fell from behind the tree, his body bloodied and mutilated.  
"Mon dieu, how could you be so careless as to fall asleep, Madammoizelle Kid?"  
The thief spun around to see Harle standing over Leena's pale body, an unreadable expression on her face. The village girl's throat had been slit. Mouth gabing open in total shock, Kid stumbled back, wide-eyed, and tripped over the lifeless body of her beloved Serge. "You... you traitor..." she whispered almost voicelessly at first, but then began to scream, "You damned double-crossing freak of a clown! Ya led him to us, didn't you? How could ya do that to Serge! I... I thought you loved him too..." Choking back tears, she lunged at the dragoness, dagger already drawn. Before she could even touch Harle, the jester was suddenly engolved in blue flame. A short yelp of surprise was heard, and then nothing until the fire subsided, leaving a charred body curled on the ground, covered only with blackened traces of fabric.  
Kid turned slowly to face the fake Serge, seeing a malicious grin on his features.  
"She served her purpose. I did not want to risk her interfering with my revenge..."  
Kid scowled in disgust at the insane dragon god, unable to speak through the shear hatred which was forming within her. She attempted to charge, but the Time Devourer raised one hand calmly and she found herself frozen in place, unable even to struggle or look away.  
"Prepare yourself, child, to feel all the pain which you bestowed upon me," her would-be murderer said with a sneer, stepping forward and taking the curved dagger from Kid's unresisting grasp. With a quick and precise motion, he thrust the blade deep into the star-stealing girl's chest, sending bolts of pain lancing throughout her body. At the same time, he released the spell that held her still, allowing her to collapse, her hands clawing at the dagger which remained embedded in her body. "This time, you have no magical amulet to protect you..."  
"She has me!" came the same voice, but with a more familiar tone.  
Instead of hitting the ground, the dying girl found herself craddled in the tattered arms of Serge, who, weakened but still alive, had sneaked up behind her while the Time Devourer was distracted.  
Their enemy stepped forward, but before he could strike again, Serge whipped the Astral Amulet out of his pocket and placed his placed his hand over Kid's so that they held the protective necklace together. With a flash of light and a sound similer to a raging wind, they were gone, transported to a safer time by the amulet of Schala. Realizing what had happened, the Time Devourer looked around in a rage, only to come face to face with a nightmarish sight. The horrifically burnt Dragon of the Dark Moon stood before him, red eyes alight with the fires of her very soul. "Merci... for stepping right into mon trap..."  
  
To Be Continued... Maybe. 


End file.
